MaestroBlog Update

I remembered again! Two months in a row baby! Wait a minute, it's already the end of April? Time goes by so fast. So fast, that I've largely forgotten to update this thing on a regular basis. This will be April's 15th post, the lowest for any month so far. Oh well, I've been incredibly busy, so this hasn't really been a huge priority. But I'm determined to be around more for May.

So first things first, how many views am I at? As of writing this, MaestroBlog has been viewed 3742 times, up 603 views from March, and the view-per-post average is now 23.1, up 1.7 views from last month. I also achieved my second largest single day viewing, as April 29th brought in 64 viewers.

I did a musical dissection this month, so in May I'm determined to do a Song of the Day. Also another Artist You Should Know column will be on the way. Or maybe I could do a Artist You Should Know More About? I'll think of something, maybe I can do all of them!

Anyway, I'm really excited for summer! And I'm also glad that Eau Claire is finally experiencing some awesome weather! Hopefully it won't get too hot though, I can't handle too hot.

As always, keep sending me ideas for what I can do to make MaestroBlog more appealing to you. I can't do every single one, but I'll try to get around to as much as I can!

I hope you continue to read, I definitely enjoy reviewing and conversing about music, it's the best subject matter in the world, don't you think? :)

Owl City-"Ocean Eyes" Review

The MySpace era may be long gone, but those artists made famous by the website have been enjoying chart success well beyond its termination. Lily Allen, Colbie Caillat, Boys Like Girls, and Owl City, to name a few. But there's something special about Owl City; for one, it's comprised of only one person, Adam Young, and two, well before the release of his sophomore album "Ocean Eyes", his sleeper hit "Fireflies" was busy topping the iTunes charts all over the world. For some reason, the public has seemed to gravitate towards Owl City's tales of lightning bugs and insomnia. It's also interesting that an artist so reserved as Adam Young would gain immense popularity among listeners, maybe he just came in at the right time, maybe the mainstream was crying for some innocent pop songs. Whatever the reason, he was just able to click with a larger audience. Although, with his new fandom has also come a harsh backlash from fans of Postal Service. That's understandable, as Postal Service serves as the template for most of Owl City's work. Then again, with Adam Young's vivid imagination, his lyrics are filled with pastoralic imagery and odd metaphors and similes, and he the pairs it up with music that's so synthesized and ethereal, it makes his lyrics more insubstantial than they already are. This in turn leads to an album that's as sweet as an angel food cake. It looks harmless enough, but when taken in large amounts, it can become quite unappetizing. There's nothing wrong with angel food cake, and there's nothing really wrong with "Ocean Eyes", but with its computerized soundscapes and Adam's strained vocals, it's hard to recommend it very enthusiastically. Not even the guest appearances of Matt Thiessen can completely suck you into its orbit, mainly because their voices are so similar you can't even discern which voice is which. However, in any Owl City album, the particulars don't matter as much as the overall impression. With this album, it follows the same dreamy synth-pop pattern of its predecessor, while it also includes re-mixes of "The Saltwater Room" and "Hello Seattle", and then it tries to add dance-pop and regular, nonsense breezy pop, the kind that's found in "Fireflies". Nothing else on the album can measure up to the charm and thickness of "Fireflies", but there are still some impressive moments along the way. If you forget the lyrics, "Cave In" and "Umbrella Beach" are actually quite enthralling, while "Vanilla Twilight" is a nice little electro-ballad. There are no bad cuts on "Ocean Eyes", but there aren't many knock-out punches either. Most of the time, it's as uneven as the ocean tides themselves. If one really could have eyes like the ocean, then this album would be a perfect soundtrack. It's a twelve-track, forty-two minute acid trip that's as alluring as it is awkward.

Recommended Tracks in Bold:
1. Cave In                   2. The Bird and the Worm      3. Hello Seattle
4. Umbrella Beach     5. The Saltwater Room         6. Dental Care
7. Meteor Shower       8. On the Wing                       9. Fireflies
10. Tip of the Iceberg 11. Vanilla Twilight               12. Tidal Wave

Dido-"Safe Trip Home" Review

Remember Dido? It's pretty hard to think all the way back to 2003, when "Life for Rent" was slowly burning up the charts. That's just Dido's nature, slow and elegant, and while there's nothing wrong with quiet, calming music, even Dido herself might have finally realized that her first two albums were a bit too stiff. So, after a quiet five years, she returns with "Safe Trip Home". Upon first glance, you'll notice that this is her first album without her on its cover, this time all we get is an astronaut in space, hence the title of the album, "Safe Trip Home". Although, that's probably the only reason why the album was named with this title, as it suggests that it has some sort of theme, which it doesn't, and it also suggests that it would contain Dido's most interesting and experimental material...which it doesn't. Basically, "Safe Trip Home" is the same as "No Angel" and "Life for Rent", only with more length and more substantial songs. It follows the same calming and soft pattern of its predecessors, but this time Dido maintains a steady focus, and adds some much-needed texture to its eleven tracks. It's a little less focused on electronics, and instead relies on heavy string passages and organic percussion effects. Her silky voice gently keeps things moving, while the music gradually gets lusher and more powerful with each spin. Those looking for another "White Flag" will be disappointed, as there's nothing really mainstream or pop-py about "Safe Trip Home". But isn't that what we all need in wasteland of music that is 2008? Dido has never been a "pop" artist, so it's no big shock to not hear her not use any modern trends. No, she holds on to her signature style, and this time uses every one of her talents as both a singer and songwriter. "Don't Believe in Love" is a sturdy and sleek opener, while "Us 2 Little Gods" reworks the melody of "Thank You" very nicely, and it even strengthens its foundation. Every song on "Safe Trip Home" retains an impenetrable melodic structure, while also offering plenty of those who don't find the mainstream of the 2000s so appetizing. This is by far Dido's strongest album, with her best and most accomplished music. Half way through, it sucks you into its sway, and when the nine-minute closer "Northern  Skies" finally comes to an end, you're left with nothing but satisfaction. This is music that's quietly powerful, music that Dido always strove for but never quite achieved, it's even seductive.

Recommended Tracks in Bold:

1. Don’t Believe in Love        2. Quiet Times            3. Never Want to Say it’s Love

4. Grafton Street                     5. It Comes and it Goes          6. Look No Further

7. Us 2 Little Gods     8. The Day Before the Day     9. Let’s Do the Things We Normally Do

10. Burnin Love                      11. Northern Skies

Jennifer Lopez-"Love?" Review

Four years have separated "Love?" from its predecessor "Brave", and quite alot has changed in Jennifer Lopez's life since 2007. Most notably, she gave birth to two children, dumped her record label, and took up a seat on the "American Idol" judges table. Although, consumed by all of these changes was her music, as she was dead quiet during those four years. In fact, had it not been for "On The Floor" (her biggest hit in over a decade), Jennifer Lopez, who's now reacquired her nickname JLO, would probably have left the music industry for good. She knew that "Love?" was going to have to accomplish many things in order to put her back on the map. "On the Floor" was definitely a confident step in the right direction, and it's fitting as the album's opener. After her ballad-heavy Spanish album and its listless follow up "Brave", JLO is finally ready to get back to the clubs. That's where her heart has always been anyway, the fiery Latin dance-pop is what made her a star, so she dives head-first into the glitchy electronics and vibrant sheen of 2011. The album cover reflects this, as it shows Jennifer to be as glam as she's ever been, and from the outside, "Love?" seems like a very tempting offering from a performer who's always incorporated style and flavor in her music. Upon the first listen, you'll understand the question mark in the album title: it doesn't quite know what it's supposed to be.

Then again, album titles have never been Jennifer's strong point, as they are either too obvious or too confusing, but she's always had a clear picture of where she wanted her sound to go. "Love?" kind of middles between these two extremes, as the subject of love is definitely present throughout most of the album, but the music tells a different story. To be clear, Jennifer was never about singing, she was always about rhythm and style, so while she's definitely developed her own distinguishable sound, her voice still cannot carry her songs on its own; it needs a power-house hook and gently charing music in order to give it a true, palpable presence. That's one major flaw of the album, another is that once again, it doesn't know what it's supposed to do or where it's supposed to go. The glossy album sleeve perfectly represents the music, as it is so effervescent, it immediately expands and loses all limits. This is turn creates a severe lack of focus, as it bounces back between powerful dance grooves and uninspired hip-hop songs. There's a ballad thrown into the mix, the stale "Until it Beats No More", and then there's just a bunch of stuff everywhere else. The hooks are never-the-less there, but the sparkling surface sheen becomes so blinding they too get thrown out of orbit. Even the guest appearances of PitBull and Lil Wayne can't bring them back into complete focus. Ultimately, it's like high-fashion wall paper, it looks good, but midway through the listen, the sheen peels away and you're left with nothing but a wall, which "Love?" hits several times throughout.

However, with all of its flaws aside, "Love?" does churn out some of Jennifer's best dance music. "On the Floor" definitely utilizes PitBull's raps and Jennifer's sultry voice to a giddy effect, Lil Wayne also manages to spice up "I'm into You" a little bit, and "Papi" is just flat out one of her best and most accomplished songs. At its best, the album hits hard and delivers on its promise, but at its worst, it highlights every single problem that comes with a Jennifer Lopez album. Her voice gets drowned by all of the noise, she just cannot seem to carry a ballad strongly, and she seems too obsessed with modern trends, and thus creates albums that are strictly in their year of release. It's a pleasant wash of sound, but "Love?" is just too glitzy for its own good. But, it's still pleasant all the same.

Recommended Tracks in Bold:

1. On the Floor                       2. Good Hit                  3. I’m into You

4. (What is) Love?                    5. Run the World          6. Papi

7. Until it Beats No More         8. One Love                 9. Invading My Mind

10. Villain                                 11. Starting Over          12. Hypnotico

Billboard Chart Review-4/25/13

This week's chart dated May 4, 2013 actually reflects the sales week from April 15-21.

The Billboard Hot 100:

Song                                        Position           Last Week

Just Give Me a Reason           1                      1

Can’t Hold Us                        2                      5

Thrift Shop                              3                      2

When I Was Your Man           4                      3

Gentleman                               5                      12        *Pacesetter* *Digital Gainer*

Stay                                         6                      4

Mirrors                                    7                      7          *Airplay Gainer*

Suit and Tie                             8                      6

Feel this Moment                    9                      8

Started from the Bottom        10                    9

So, P!nk and Nate Ruess command the chart for another week, that was fully expected and it becomes P!nk's first single to spend more than one week at number one. Macklemore & Ryan Lewis are now at number two with "Can't Hold Us"...and Billboard says it is expected to reach number one next week!!! If this happens, then they will be the first act since Lady Gaga to have their first two singles hit number one. Psy obviously reaches the top five this week, and it also expected to reach high on the chart next week as well. Now, let's look at the outside of the top ten: Demi Lovato falls 10-11 with "Heart Attack", Fall Out Boy's new single "My Songs Know What You Did" zooms 30-15, Daft Punk scores its biggest hit in the US as their duet with Pharrell "Get Lucky" debuts at number 19, Selena Gomez's new single "Come and Get It" blasts 45-22, Taylor Swift rises 32-24 with "22", Ariana Grande's duet with Mac Miller "The Way" rises

37-32, Anna Kendrick's song from "Pitch Perfect", titled "Cups", vaults 85-59, and finally, Calvin Harris' duet with Ellie Goulding "I Need Your Love" debuts at number 76!!!! I LOVE that song!

The Billboard 200:

Album                                     Position           Last Week

Save Rock and Roll                1                      -

Indicud                                   2                      -

The 20/20 Experience             3                      3

Based on a true story              4                      4

Mosquito                                 5                      -

Pioneer                                    6                      6

Wheelhouse                             7                      2

I am not a human being II        8                      8

The Heist                                 9                      16

The Truth About Love            10                    14

Fall Out Boy scores their second number one album! Kid Cudi takes second place, and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs take fifth. We have alot of non-movers this week, and in today's lackluster album sales market, that is to be expected. My analysis on that will be coming up shortly. So, the top ten explains itself, anything else? Well: Paramore, who topped the chart last week, experience a 75% decrease in sales and "Paramore" drops 1-12, other than that, not much happened. Pink Floyd's "Dark Side of the Moon" is still on the chart after 832 weeks, and well, that's the long and short of it. Sorry, to have such little to say about this area, but if there's an album you want to follow you can always check out the full Billboard charts on their website.

Jewel-"0304" Review

Don't let the album cover fool you, and don't let the song titles and liner notes (where every "to" is "2" and you is "u") worry you either, this is the same Jewel that sang "You Were Meant for Me" in 1997. However, this is 2003, and we now have a different kind of Jewel: one that's glammed-up, sexed up, and more effervescent than the person who got swallowed up in her own dreariness back in the 90s. Quite frankly, it's really refreshing to hear something different from Jewel, as her first three albums stuck in the same, staid pattern with saccharine ballads and potential cross-over hits galore. Instead of rewriting "Pieces of You" for a fourth time, she decided that a change of pace was needed. It's a good thing too, since she's not only created one of the best pop releases of 2003, but she's created what is arguably the best album of her career. With the help of Lester Mendez, "0304" is a terrific little dance-pop record, but what makes it so terrific is the fact that Jewel has a little bit more on her mind than just dancing with the lights down. The album has a shiny commercial sheen, but you can be assured that the insubstantial lyrics, glossiness, and random pop culture references are all executed with her tongue firmly in cheek. Unlike other political-themed albums of 2003, most notably Madonna's "American Life", Jewel delivers every lyric with intense purpose, without ever playing like she's preaching. She's dived full body into this cross-over move, and through most of "0304", it works. It has a blissful surface pleasure, but the hooks are still as ingratiating as good pop should be. Her calm, breathy voice works well with the breezy electronics and insistent dance beats. Not only that, but she successfully manages to blend this new pop sound with her old work, and successfully finds a happy medium between the two. The Nelly Furtado-esque "Leave the Lights On" uses Jazz trumpets to deliver its foundation, while the instant hit "Intuition" offers accordions mixed with full, multi-purpose choruses to deliver its silky hook. It's not a "modern interpretation of big band music" (not even close), but "0304" fulfills its purpose: multi-purpose pop that's as intelligent as it is enjoyable (another thing that Madonna couldn't grasp with "American Life"). But most of all, it's the best kind of pop imaginable: it's music that can be taken as just surface pleasure, but can also adjust your world view once the album is over. "0304" will shock long-time fans of this singer-songwriter, but nevertheless, it's Jewel's first album that's just a sheer joy to hear.

Recommended Tracks in Bold:
1. Stand                                  2. Run 2 U                  3. Intuition

4. Leave the Lights On           5. 2 Find U                  6. Fragile Heart

7. Doin’ Fine                          8. 2 Become 1             9. Haunted

10. Sweet Temptation             11. Yes U Can                        12. U & Me=Love

13. America                            14. Becoming

Billboard Chart Review-4/18/13

This week's chart dated April 27, 2013 actually reflects the sales week of April 8-April 14

The Billboard Hot 100:
Song                                        Position           Last Week
Just Give Me a Reason           1                      3          *Airplay Gainer*
Thrift Shop                              2                      2
When I Was Your Man           3                      1
Stay                                         4                      4
Can’t Hold Us                         5                      7
Suit and Tie                             6                      5
Mirrors                                    7                      12
Feel This Moment                   8                      10
Started from the Bottom         9                      9
Heart Attack                           10                    15
Wow!! Quite a lot has happened this week! First off, P!nk is at number one!!! Even though the only "reason" why she's at number one is because her song features Nate Ruess, it's still a celebratory moment all the same! Macklemore & Ryan Lewis now join an even more elite club of artists who have had two singles in the top five simultaneously. But most importantly, Demi Lovato's "Heart Attack" has finally cracked the top ten!!! Also, Justin Timberlake now has two singles in the top ten simultaneously, and this is interesting because I can't recall a time in Hot 100 history when two musical acts have had two singles in the top ten at the same time. I'll look into that, while you look at what's been happening outside of the top ten: Psy's recent viral hit "Gentlemen" debuts at number 12 (it recently broke YouTube records when it received 70 million views in three days), Miranda Lambert shoots 35-20 with "Mama's Broken Heart", Tim McGraw's duet with Taylor Swift "Highway Don't Care" blasts 42-25 with Digital Gainer honors, Selena Gomez debuts at number 45 with "Come and Get it", Avril Lavigne's "Here's to Never Growing Up" debuts at number 52, and Nicki Minaj's duet with Lil Wayne "High School" zooms 83-68.

The Billboard 200:
Album                                     Position           Last Week
Paramore                                 1                      -
Wheelhouse                             2                      -
The 20/20 Experience             3                      1
Based on a True Story            4                      4
Caught in the Live                   5                      -

Pioneer                                  6                      2

Hotel California                      7                      -
I am not a human being II       8                      5
Outlaw gentlemen & shady ladies 9                      -
House of Gold and Bones      10                    -
The Billboard 200 is less exciting this week. We have six new top ten arrivals, since album sales are so low, it doesn't take much to get into the top ten in a debut frame. But, of all debuts, Paramore comes out on top and scores their first number one album!! And it really deserved it, "Paramore" is an awesome album! All across the board, country stars have gained alot this past week. Eric Church and Brad Paisley score top ten debuts, and Luke Bryan, Miranda Lambert, and Blake Shelton all shoot up the charts as well. This week was interesting because there weren't any significant drops or gains this week, everything stayed pretty much the same. Actually, that might be my next blog topic, why are album sales down the toilet? I wonder...well, until then, that's really all I have left to say about this week's chart, hopefully next week will bring more excitement.

Paramore-"Paramore" Review

Give Paramore some credit, after the dramatic exits of Josh and Zac Farro, it's a minor miracle that they were able to release their fourth album at all. Line-up changes are always hard for a band that have spent their entire careers together, especially when the absentees were the founders of the band. Occurrences like this bring back to mind Evanescence, who were propelled to super-stardom in 2003 but eventually suffered the same fate as Paramore did in 2010. But there are also a few key differences between the two groups: Evanescence relied solely on front-woman Amy Lee to bring them in front of the masses, whereas Paramore is buoyed by their camaraderie. Most of Evanescence left after their debut, leaving Amy Lee to create, essentially, an entire new band. Only two members of Paramore left the band, with three still very much invested in the band. The last thing that separates the two groups is that after Evanescence fell into disarray, they never quite re-gained their footing. With the release of Paramore's eponymous fourth album, they decided to not dwell on their fallen members, and created their best album to date instead.

However, if you thought they were going to completely change their sound to adjust to their new line-up, there's good news. The album's first two tracks, the excellent "Fast in my Car" and the urgent, pushing "Now" retain Hayley Williams' signature spunk while offering big, catchy choruses to both the punks and punks-at-heart. The third track, "Grow Up" is an electro-influenced new wave track that is definitely more geared towards pop audiences, but they don't abandon their sound. Everybody was gearing towards a more electronic approach in 2013, due mostly to the EDM artists such as Calvin Harris and Swedish House Mafia, but Paramore is a band, not a brand, they're not going to sink to music so obvious and forgettable. No, the hooks are indelible, the interludes are excellent and ukulele-laden, and the music is just as rainbow-dappled as the album cover suggests. What's equally as impressive is that they've not only created the best album of their careers, but have somehow made a record that gets better with age. The hooks are present, yet slow-burning, so a couple spins are required in order to know the lay of the land. Even better, is that the starting tracks are the album's lowest point (in this case, the low point is still, very, very high), and the album actually gets better as it progresses, leading to the seven minute long "Future" (which features a four minute coda, one that's both fitting in context with the song and the album). And there are many impressive moments to be had along the way, such as the soulful "Ain't it fun" and the enthralling kiss-off "Anklebiters". But, what's best about "Paramore" is that it contains both their signature style and it accepts more modern trends, without ever conforming to vapid, breezy pop. They have already crafted one of 2013's best albums, one that reaffirms Hayley Williams' charisma and it contains everything that has defined Paramore's career, all wrapped up into seventeen tracks.

Recommended Tracks in Bold:

1. Fast in my Car       2. Now                       3. Grow Up

4. Daydreaming         5. Moving On              6. Ain’t it fun?

7. Part II                      8. Last Hope               9. Still into you

10. Anklebiters          11. Holiday                 12. Proof

13. Hate to See Your Heart Break             14. (One of those) Crazy Girls

15. I’m Not Angry Anymore  16. Be Alone    17. Future

Musical Dissection-Taylor Swift

So yeah, Taylor Swift. We all know her. If you don't, then here's all you need to know: Taylor Swift is a 23-year old singer-songwriter who's been in the music business since 2006. Her main subject matter is how a boy broke her heart and now she's seeking some sort of closure, revenge, or validation of her feelings. You may recognize her biggest hits like "Teardrops on My Guitar", "Love Story", "You Belong with Me", and "We are never ever getting back together". Now you may also know her for a variety of other reasons, the biggest one being that she's been linked to some of Hollywood's most sought-after bachelors (i.e. Joe Jonas, John Mayer, Taylor Lautner, Jake Gyllenhaal, Harry Styles, and Connor Kennedy [although he isn't a celebrity, just a political heir]). In fact, ever since she's been famous it seems that she's been seen with one guy right after another. That's kind of what lead me to this dissection today, and before I go on, I'll answer a question you've been asking since you read the title of this post: "What's Taylor Swift doing on a segment of musical dissection?" Well, the point of musical dissection is not just for stars (or songs) that are bad, it's also for just simply picking apart a certain aspect about an artist or song that's been causing alot of stir. Don't worry, the point of this will become more apparent as you read on.

So anyway, back to Taylor Swift. So the reason why she has come before me today is because what has happened to her in the last few months. It all started when Tina Fey and Amy Poehler hosted the Golden Globe Awards in January, where they both took jabs at Taylor's dating life and Tina stated "Don't go after Michael J. Fox's son". She and Amy continued to have a little discussion about her, garnering much laughter from the audience. Now to be clear, this wasn't meant to be taken seriously, they're comedians, it's their job to make fun of people. But apparently to Taylor, that was the straw that broke the camel's back because when she appeared on the April issue of Vanity Fair, she had a few choice words in regard to the jokes. She stated (and I quote):

"You know, Katie Couric is one of my favorite people because she said to me a quote that she loved, (from former secretary Madeline Albright), that said, 'There's a special place in hell for for women who don't help other women.'"

.......................WOW. I mean, I know why you're upset, but, really? That's probably one of the most balls-y things I've heard her say, in music or in real life. So that's what I want to dissect, why did she feel the need to say this? Is she suggesting that Amy and Tina are sexist? Well actually, that's exactly what she meant. She stated in the same interview that she felt that the fact that she, a girl, is getting picked on for being spotted with so many guys is sexist. Okay, so throwing the old "when a guy gets a bunch of girls, he's a celebrity, but when a girl does the same thing, she's a whore" would definitely be a valid argument, since Taylor is right, there are quite a lot of men in the world that date anything with legs, but yet the jokes about them are minimal or non-existent. I can see where she's coming from, and I definitely think that there are one too many internet memes about her personal life on the internet right now, but there's one key difference that she is overlooking. All of those guys who date many girls don't write a song (or many songs) about them and then go on to exploit the personal details of their relationship. By doing this, Taylor is whole-heartedly welcoming all of those jabs towards her personal life because she doesn't keep it all that personal. And once again, just look at her catalog of songs. Out of the four albums she's created, with a total of 54 songs, only 11 songs are not about love. The rest of her material talks about how a boy broke her heart or how she wants to fall in love again. And those songs are always about somebody in particular, which isn't doing Taylor any favors right now because it's no secret who the subject matter of her songs is.

Now, she also claimed that since 2010 she's only dated two people, meaning Connor Kennedy and Harry Styles. If that's not setting off the bullsh*t detector than here's another thing: she also said that Jake Gyllenhaal and John Mayer weren't actually dating her, they were just seen going to lunch and hanging out together, she denies that any romantic relationship ever happened. Um, Taylor, remember when you wrote "Dear John" from your album "Speak Now"?? That song was clearly about a relationship, not just going out to have lattes. I know that since I'm not you, I don't know all of the details of your personal life, but you make it extremely hard not to talk about it when that's ALL you sing about. As I have already stated, I do agree that it's getting extremely annoying seeing so many people constantly bash her for the same thing over and over again (I know that Taylor has bad luck with men and a bad habit of writing too many love songs without ever thinking that she is just as guilty for the failure of her relationships, I get it), but as she keeps producing album after album of the same old thing, she's not doing anything to rectify the situation. Constantly being in the public eye is difficult, we all know this, but I think if Taylor were to keep her personal relationships personal, she may not be so under-fire as she is right now.

I do think that Taylor is rather talented. She writes all of her own songs, she helps produce them and plays alot of the instruments, and her voice does sound good on in the studio. Now, in her defense, I know that she's crappy live, but her voice wasn't really meant to be loud and stately. She has a soft, girl-ish voice that just cannot be translated from studio to stage. But as for as songwriting goes, I'll admit she has chops, and she definitely does make some pretty good songs (like "Mean", the best song she's ever recorded), and her album "Fearless" is definitely one you should listen too. But, with all of her strengths aside, it's time for her to start singing a different tune. She may be "America's sweetheart", but her album sales prove that she's not that popular worldwide. Over 3/4 of her albums sold have been sold in the US, which is actually uncommon for a mainstream artist (in comparison, Madonna has sold over 200 million albums worldwide, only 64.5 million were sold in the US). And even America is getting tired of the same thing, as already proven: the internet memes, the jabs, the many references to her dating life in pop culture, she's become a lightning rod for critics and haters everywhere. I think with a change of pace, she might be able to salvage her image, but if she keeps acting out like she did in Vanity Fair, the public may punish her before she can.

She's floundering right now, due to both the media's obsession with her love life and her failure of trying to be subtle about it.

Billboard Chart Review-4/11/13

This week's chart dated April 20, 2013 actually reflects the sales week from April 1-April 7

The Billboard Hot 100:
Song                                        Position           Last Week
When I Was Your Man           1                      2          *Digital Gainer*
Thrift Shop                              2                      1
Just Give Me a Reason           3                      5          *Airplay Gainer*
Stay                                         4                      6
Suit and Tie                             5                      3
Harlem Shake                          6                      4
Can’t Hold Us                         7                      15
Cruise                                      8                      -
Started from the Bottom         9                      8
Feel This Moment                   10                    9
As predicted, "When I Was Your Man" ascends to number one this week. It was helped mainly to iTunes sales, who priced the song at $.69 this last week. It easily outsells "Thrift Shop", which spends its seventh non-consecutive week at number two. With this, Bruno Mars earns his fifth number one in the shortest amount of time since Elvis achieved this back in the 1950s. Also notable this week is that "Cruise" by Florida Georgia Line and Nelly re-enters the chart at number eight in its 27th chart week. It was mainly helped by the American Country Music Awards which were held last week and achieved the highest ratings since 1998. Lastly, Macklemore and Ryan Lewis join an elite club of artists (Adele, The Beatles, Mariah Carey, Akon to name a few), to have two songs in the top ten simultaneously, as "Can't Hold Us" jumps the most places to get into the top ten. Now let's see what's happening outside of the region: Demi Lovato climbs 17-15 with "Heart Attack" (!!!!!), Icona Pop and Charli XCX jumps 24-17 with "I Love It", Ariana Grande and Mac Miller fall 10-22 with "The Way" but still earn a Pacesetter honor this week (how that happened I don't know), Darius Rucker rises 30-24 with "Wagon Wheel", Krewella earn their first top forty hit as "Alive" rises 45-40, Tim McGraw and Taylor Swift see their duet "Highway Don't Care" shoot 56-42, The Band Perry blast 94-53 with their latest single "Done.", and Brad Paisley vaults 92-69 with "Beat this Summer".

The Billboard 200:

Album                                     Position           Last Week

The 20/20 Experience             1                      1

Pioneer                                    2                      -

Wolf                                        3                      -
Based on a True Story            4                      3
I am not a human being II      5                      2
10                                            6                      -
Disarm the Descent                 7                      -
Night Visions                          8                      8
The Truth About Love            9                      7
Unorthodox Jukebox              10                    9
Justin Timberlake keeps his perch atop the chart this week, although sales decline to 139,000 copies. But, The Band Perry wasn't that far behind; their "Pioneer" sold 129,000 this week and earn their highest charting album yet as well as their best sales week yet. Tyler, the Creator, comes in at number three, New Kids on the Block arrive at number six, and Killswitch Engage land at number seven. So, with that out of the way, let's see what else has been happening: Eric Clapton jumps 59-33 with "Old Sock", Brantley Gilbert shoots 89-62 with "Halfway to Heaven" as is the Pacesetter for the week, Pink Floyd plummets 28-94 with "Dark Side of the Moon", but they do earn their 830th chart week with that album, The Band Perry's self-titled 2010 debut blasts 140-104, and the Zac Brown Band rise 131-106 with "The Foundation", John Mayer vaults 193-135 with "Born and Raised", and Papoose takes the biggest plunge as "The Nacirema Dream" is down 97-183.

Macklemore & Ryan Lewis-"The Heist" Review

Coming straight from the underground of Seattle to a worldwide scale, Macklemore (Ben Haggerty) had a lot to prove with his first full length LP "The Heist". Yet again, he was already a proven star since the turn of the 21st century, performing for various audiences in his hometown. He met his long-time collaborator Ryan Lewis in 2005, and the pair have been toying around with a full length debut for an upwards of three years. This is definitely a smart move, since going from an audience of fifty to five thousand requires a few decisions about target audience, sound, and purpose for his music, most notably, the message. As Macklemore describes his music as "David Bowie meets Kanye shit", it's clear that his message is what's most important. The masses is what he aims to please, but "The Heist" doesn't quite play as popular music, even though there is plenty of bass, electro-pulses and indelible hooks. His declaration of his music might seem like a self-righteous oversell (on the Bowie side it kind of is), but truth be told, he has developed his sound well enough to know how strong it is. Upon the first listen of "The Heist", you'll find this claim to be true.

Even though "The Heist" suffers a bit from some didactic moods, it, along with Macklemore himself, is what the times need in 2012. A self styled, self-made, and ambitious star with a mission to make quality rap music popular again. If this reminds of you of Eminem, well, that comparison isn't one that "The Heist" repels. Most often, Macklore does sound like Mr. Mathers: his flow is very consistent, there are plenty of puns, there's plenty of attitude, and he's also undeniably real. And in fact, starting from the small audiences is what works very well in Macklemore's favor. He has yet to be corrupted by mainstream trends, so his debut is unaffected and genuine. It's very nice to see that he can churn out several potential hits without having to slut them up or dumb them down for the lowest common denominator. Although, this leads to the album's only flaw: it tries to appeal to a wide audience, but in the end it's still a rap album. The many guest appearances from other budding and unknown singers give each song a distinctive sound, but that doesn't change the overall style. "The Heist" will not please everyone; those who don't like rap won't change their minds and those who do will find another essential artist to add to their record collection. But, that doesn't mean there aren't some impressive moments when it plays as both pop and rap. The aforementioned "Thrift Shop" doesn't take itself too seriously and therefore delivers an anthem to those who live in the thrift stores. "Can't Hold Us" and "Ten Thousand Hours" are wall-to-wall parties for those who defy expectation and strive for a better life. Then there's "Same Love", which tackles the issue of same-sex marriage. Mary Lambert delivers the warm hook and the full-bodied piano manages to stop the album dead in its tracks; hey, Macklemore can be serious too. Ryan Lewis has already proved himself to be adept at production, as he layers it when necessary and strips it away when the track gets too heavy. Put him and Macklemore together, and "The Heist" truly comes alive with energy and style. The best part, is that the album definitely plays as a rap album, but not once does it play as just raps and beats, there's actual music at work here, something rather hard to find in the modern rap culture.

Recommended Tracks in Bold:
1. Ten Thousand Hours        2. Can’t Hold Us        3. Thrift Shop
4. Thin Line                             5. Same Love             6. Make the Money
7. Neon Cathedral                   8. BomBom                 9. White Walls
10. Jimmy Lovine                   11. Wing$                   12. A Wake
13. Gold                                  14. Starting Over        15. Cowboy Boots

The Band Perry-"Pioneer" Review

It's hard to believe that three years have passed since The Band Perry's debut in 2010. It's not surprising though, the lead single "Hip to my Heart" was a Country-only hit and they didn't acquire mainstream success until "If I Die Young" flew up the charts in 2011. "All Your Life" came in late 2011 and "Postcard from Paris" kept us occupied in 2012. So, come 2013, with "Better Dig Two" released as the lead single, something become instantly clear: The Band Perry prove that you can pull off the same trick twice. They gracefully avoid the sophomore slump by creating a record that's a little more cohesive, fresher, and more enthralling than their debut. They achieve this by giving sole custody of the mic to lead singer Kimberly Perry. It makes sense: she's the heart, soul, voice, and hook of the band anyway. But that doesn't mean she can't let her other brothers/band-mates shine in their own right in "Back to Me Without You". Their camaraderie is still very apparent as they manage to balance the guitars, drums, and vocal parts so that no one element over-bears more than necessary. Just like their debut, "Pioneer" is filled with assured and subtle material that has flares of attitude and sweet sentimentality. It shifts between these two sides constantly, as it starts off with "Better Dig Two", leads into the equally as compelling "Done.", and then the gears shift and the first ballad "Don'e Let Me Be Lonely" is introduced. This is definitely a step in the right direction, but with all of the changing in moods also comes a sort of whip-lash, making it unable to fully appreciate one song before another one starts playing. Some tracks you can glide over easily, like the title track and "I Saw a Light", the music is strucutrally sound, but lacks hooks. However, this makes it easier to love "Chainsaw", a fiddle shredding number that has all of the pieces of another cross-over hit. Whenever The Band Perry sticks to the fun times and vibrancy, they strike the biggest chord. Their dogged seriousness, however, becomes a bit too much after repeated listens. Still, "Pioneer" holds its own even when it drags, and it remains a humble listen. Although, one should hope they continue to grow as artists, as they deliver some great songs here, but still feel like they could've been even more powerful and even more driven than they already are. For right now, after three years of waiting, "Pioneer" is an accomplished successor to their breakthrough at the start of the decade.

Recommended Tracks in Bold:
1. Better Dig Two      2. Done.                                  3. Don’t let me be lonely
4. Pioneer                    5. Forever mine nevermind     6. Night gone wasted
7. I saw a light             8. Mother like Mine                9. Chainsaw
10. I’m a keeper          11. Back to me without you   12. End of time

Billboard Chart Review-4/4/13

This week's chart dated April 13, 2013 actually reflects the sales week of March 25-March 31.

The Billboard Hot 100:

Song                                        Position           Last Week

Thrift Shop                              1                      1

When I Was Your Man           2                      4

Suit and Tie                             3                      3

Harlem Shake                          4                      2

Just Give Me a Reason           5                      6          *Airplay Gainer*

Stay                                         6                      5

Radioactive                             7                      15        *Digital Gainer*

Started from the Bottom        8                      7

Feel This Moment                   9                      8

The Way                                  10                    -

Well it looks like Thrift Shop isn't giving up! Even though it experiences declines all across the board (except for sales, it sold 284,000 copies last week). However, it still posts a slight lead over "When I Was Your Man". I definitely think it will take the top spot within the next week or so, since it has received strong airplay and hasn't declined in any other areas. Imagine Dragons' "Radioactive" finally arrives in the top ten in its 31st chart week, which is the third slowest climb to this region ever. But the biggest news this week is: Ariana Grande debuts at number 10! Her duet with Mac Miller titled "The Way" sold 219,000 copies last week. She was the break-out star on the Nickelodeon show "Victorious", so its exciting to see her shine bright! As for the rest of the chart: Justin Timberlake's "Mirrors" climbs 13-11 and is the Pacesetter of the week (he might get his next top ten next week), Macklemore and Ryan Lewis jumps 27-15 with "Can't Hold Us" (and they too might see their next top ten in a couple weeks or so), Demi Lovato rises 21-17 with "Heart Attack" (!!!!!!), Darius Rucker's "Wagon Wheel" lunges 38-30, Krewella rises 51-45 with "Alive", J. Dash's "Wop" blasts 82-52, Jason Aldean climbs 80-63 with "1994" (my birth year!), and Hadouken's "Levitate" vaults 100-69.

The Billboard 200:

Album                                     Position           Last Week

The 20/20 Experience             1                      1

I am not a human being II        2                      -

Based on a true story              3                      -

Native                                     4                      -

Precious Memories II              5                      -

Delta Machine                         6                      -

The Truth About Love            7                      5

Night Visions                          8                      6

Unorthodox Jukebox              9                      3

Comedown Machine              10                    -

So as you can see, we have alot of new top ten debuts this week (haven't I said that before?). We have a whole slew of high-profile releases, as Lil Wayne comes in at number two (at least he didn't get number one), Blake Shelton takes 3rd place, OneRepublic takes fourth, Alan Jackson settles for fifth, and Depeche Mode comes in sixth. Also, The Strokes score another top ten with "Comedown Machine". Justin Timberlake stays at number one with "The 20/20 Experience" selling 300,000+ copies this week (down 68%). With all of the new arrivals, a lot of albums had to fall, let's see the rest of the chart: Thompson Square's "Just Feels Good" debuts at number 13. Astonishingly, Pink Floyd's "Dark Side of the Moon" is our Pacesetter this week, skyrocketing 114-28 in its 829th chart week, Dido's fourth album "Girl Who Got Away" debuts at number 32 (really America? That album is awesome!), Colton Dixon rises 119-41 with "A Messenger", P!nk shoots 106-47 with "Greatest Hits...So Far!!!", The "Rock of Ages" soundtrack vaults 176-91, Fleetwood Mac's "Greatest Hits" jumps 199-124, Blake Shelton's 2011 album "Red River Blue" rises 182-130, and taking the biggest fall this week is Black Rebel Motorcycle Club's "Specter at the Feast"; it plummets 35-194.